The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 119: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

a oC —-— = imgP e ae =n e- THE MYSTE):IES OF THER COURT. “T am at a loss to understand: your badyship,” 106 “T thank your ladyship,” returned Deveril, who still remained standing; “but I will not intrude any longer on your ladyshtp. Might I ask whether the Hon. Misses Farefield designated an hour for me to come to-morrow ?” “ Yes—at two o'clock, if your engagements will perrit,” answored Lady Saxondale: and still there stammered Deveril, scarcely knowing what he said. “No, no—you comprehend me! you understand me full well!” rejoined Lady Saxondale vehemently. “It is impossible you can be under any misappre- hension on the subject to which I am alluding! Dut wherefore do you upon me in this wild and gaze was something so peculiar in her voice and look | frightened manner? Is it that I have touched the that tho young artist knew not what to think, and | true chord in your beart /* even {..1t himself troubled—but so vaguely and un-: Lady Sexondale stopped suddenly short, and definably that he could not account fur this un- | fxed ber eyes with evon a deeper earnestness of casiness. “Sit down, Mr. Deveril,” added Lady | gase than before upon William Deveril, as she per- Cazondale: “I wish to speak to you.” ceived that the colour came and went rapidly on the He accordingly took the chair which she indi- | <*ticate duskiness of his handsome countenance : for cated; and she at the same moment drew her own | this last remark of her ladyship had confirmed his a little closer: then bending forward with an air of | suspicion that she was indeed allucing to his love mysterious confidence, she said, “Mr. Deveril, I | for Lady Florina. £m Gesizous of having some very serious discourse| “Does your ladyship intend to o7vrrwbelm me with you. You will no doubt be surprised— | with——with———” he was about to tuy “ re- —esicnishcd—at what you will hear: but you must | prosehes;” but the natural manliness cf his spirit listen !”” instantaneously reviving, he regained his self- Lajy Gaxcndale, as she thus spoke, fixed so | possession, and m ea calmer and firmer tone ob- st snd unfathomable a look upon the young | served, “ Whatever your ladyship’s object may be, artist that the trouble of his mind increased—he | I pray you to be explicit.” felt embarrassed and confused—e thousand “Isit possible that yor cre eo blind P” exclaimed ideas instantancously flitted through his brain—bui | Lady Saxondale impatiently : then in softer accente not one of them settled down there into shape or | ead w:th milder manner, she immediately added, consistency. He threw a trembling end inquiring | “ Mr. Deveril, it is not your fault if you have become look upon Lady Saxondale, and saw that her coun- | tho cject of so much deep and impassioned love. tenance was flushed—that her eyes were shining | Sta* nor-~but listen to mo! Though destiny has with a strange lustre—that her lips were quivering ' cast {ou or. @ burcble euhere, yet may 1 eny wichout and that her majestic bust was swelling and fall. i *s!::.xy, fiat you exe one of nature’s true aristo- ing with great and rapid heavings. Deveril grew! -racy. Handsome in person—yes, bandaume even almost irightened, and wished to heaven that he : ‘o the winning of a heart that never loved before— were away from her presence and fairly vut of the house: but he dared not for courtesy’s sake quit her with abruptness. “ Mr. Deveril,” resumed Lady Saxondale, ia a voice that was tremulously low and strangely deep, “if a‘lady of high rank—of patrician eminence— should suffer you to know that in spite of all con- ventionalisms—in spite too of all circumstances which ought to seal her lips on such a subject—— aye, and compel her to crush and stifle the feeling itself,——if such a lady, I ask, should euffer you to perceive that you are not indifferent to her, what course would you pursue P” Deveril was bcth astounded and alarmed by this singular speech. For an instant he fancied that Lady Saxondale herself was about to make an evowal of love; but instantaneously discarding the ides aa ridiculous, he was struck with the conviction that she had somehow or another discovered what had takcn place daring the few past hours between himseif and Florina, and that she was tbus deli- cately and hesitatingly opening the matter to him, so 1s to remind him of his duty and not deprive her ' gon Lord Sexondale of the maiden whom family cr- ' rangementa had settled to become the young noble’s _ dale, with every indication of a heightened emotion ; | so that her splendid form quivered all over—the ' tride. “You look astonished—even dismayed, at the words I have just spoken?” resumed Lady Saxon- colour deepened upon her cheeks—her eyes shot forth stranger fires—her boeom heaved and sank with quicker undulations. ‘But do not be afraid to speak to me candidly on this subject. Let all : differences of rank disappear between us——” a ee eee Oe == - « eum @& enaowed too with all the richest treasures of a fine intellect—possessing elegant manners, and a voice that falls like music on the ear and sinks down with ecstatic feeling to the depths of the soul,—it is not indeed surprising that yoa should have thus become the obiect of a passion which could no longer be concealed. Yes—you are the object of that passion —and it has been long cherished, although never avowed until this day!” William Deveril listened in a sort of stupor of amasement. Every word that Lady Saxondale uttered, seemed to allude more and more forcibly to the affection which he entertained for Florina Staunton, but which had never been made knowa until this day. And yet, while on the one hand he could scarcely doubt that such was the point to which her ladyship’s allusions tended, there was nevertheless a strange misgiving in his mind that it were possible for him to interpret her words wrungly, and that everything she was saying might bear another construction. He was confused—he was bewildered: he longed tu speak—to question her—to arrive at some certainty on the point; and yet he feared to give utterance to a single word, lest he should be betrayed into mistake or error. His position was most embarrassing—most painful ; and Lady Saxondale could not help seeing that it aS 80. “William,” she said—and every fibre in his ‘came thrilled with emotion as he heard himself thus addressed a second time this day by his Chris- tian name from woman’s lips: for vividly was brought back to his recollection the ecstatic delight he had cro now experienced when that same Chris- tiau name was pronounced in the melting music of - 2-6 Mapes wp epee oO Oe Oo eee CONMUG Ba RR a I I I I ATT IO i ees «in ie iy Gp <a Ry erm rm rrr rrr ee ar rr a rrr rae a LT LT TT a a ATENEO OOOIlK (CO